Christianity has the star of Bethlehem. We have the morning star.

There is nothing special or supernatural about our morning star, yet the morning star is perfect just as it is, and it twinkles and changes from moment to moment – and we are all just like that morning star!

During this guided meditation I will take you on a metaphorical journey through three phases of Zazen as we sink deeper and deeper into being just moment and how this moment discloses itself to us – leading us into our core practice of Shikantaza:

1. Settling in and building the Dwelling: Settling and claiming our sense of home leading to a sense of stability or samadhi.

2. Forgetting the self that you came with.

3. Receiving, attuning and befriending – receiving guests – inner and outer – which prepares us when we end our formal zazen to respond to the calls of the world.

THE CASE

Wu-Tsu said, “Sakyamuni and Maitreya are servants of another. Tell me, who is that other?”

WU-MEN’S COMMENT

If you can see this other and distinguish him or her clearly, then it is like encountering your father at the crossroads. You will not need to ask somebody whether or not you’re right.

WU-MEN’S VERSE

Don’t draw another’s bow;

Don’t ride another’s horse;

Don’t discuss another’s faults;

Don’t explore another’s affairs.

The title of today’s contemplation “our original face is always changing” comes from the story of the sixth ancestor, Eno, retold in case 23 of The Gateless Barrier collection of koans:

“Don’t think good, don’t think evil. At this very moment, what is the original face of Ming the head monk?”

“What is your original face before your parents were born?”

In other words, just sit and your original face immediately appears.

Finally, we could say our world self is also embedded in the great Cosmos. We could say -

We are the Cosmos, experiencing itself in human form.

Yogacara part four by Andrew Tootell

This guided meditation explores our personal relationship with mistakes. Mistakes are a fertile ground for learning. Dogen says ‘Life is one continuous mistake.’ Changing our attitude to our mistakes can change our life. Mistakes are exactly the path.

In this guided meditation we explore what is it to do zen practice together and to wake up together. in supporting each others practice, we support our own; in practicing together we discover our uniqueness within the simultaneous discovery of how important we are to each other.

Denkai Talk: New York, Nov 15 2014 by Andrew Tootell

In this lecture/discussion, Sono gives some background detail on the “three turnings of the wheel”, culminating in Yogacara. He also comments on the meaning of three natures and compares it with western phenomenology.

This morning, we will be contemplating our finitude and how by facing and embracing our finitude, we can learn to live a life full of appreciation and meaning.

Nonkilling: Life is nonkilling. The seed of buddha grows continuously.

Maintain the wisdom-life of buddha and do not kill life – Dogen Zenji

Appreciate your life – Maezumi Roshi